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Bucks Fizz

Bucks Fizz was formed in January 1981 by songwriters Nichola Martin and Andy Hill specifically to perform their song Making Your Mind Up in the Eurovision Song Contest. The group comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker (a previous member of Co-Co who had performed unsuccessfully at the 1978 Eurovision), Mike Nolan and Jay Aston.

On 4 April 1981, Bucks Fizz represented the United Kingdom in the contest in Dublin. Although the song faced stiff competition Bucks Fizz won the contest by a margin of four points, beating Germany into second place.

Making Your Mind Up became a major hit around the continent, reaching #1 in the UK as well as eight other countries. It charted highly in other countries such as Australia, eventually selling four million copies worldwide.

More chart-toppers followed, including The Land Of Make Believe and My Camera Never Lies.

A horrific coach crash left Mike Nolan with serious head injuries requiring emergency surgery and Cheryl some broken bones and a neck injury when they were both thrown through the windscreen of the bus they were travelling in. Bobby suffered several broken bones in his back, and Jay received a broken nose and a fractured rib.

The group pulled through, and with chirpy new member Shelley Preston on board (replacing the departing Jay Aston), they hit the Top 10 again with New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)(1986).

Further chart success was not forthcoming and the group soldiered on for a while as a trio when Shelley departed.

Somewhere along the line, David Van Day of Dollar became involved and started touring his own Bucks Fizz line-up. For a while, two groups were touring Britain with the same name, although the dispute was eventually resolved with Bobby G’s line-up being deemed the “official” Bucks Fizz.

There have been 16 members of *a* Bucks Fizz since 1981, although only Cheryl, Mike, Jay, Bobby and Shelley have released any material under that name. The rest have all performed live under the group name.

Cheryl Baker went on to become a successful television presenter.